6 Probiotics for Boosting Immunity in Children

Posted Nov 20, 2019

Stress directly affects immune function in children just as it does in adults. Chronic or frequent stress can cause an increased tendency towards inflammation and decreased effectiveness of the deeper, adaptive aspects of immunity that defend against disease. This can leave children more susceptible to colds, flu and other infections, as well as to the development of allergies.¹⁸

Fortunately, there are things you can provide your young patients, or children of patients, to help out. In this blog we’re looking at 6 different probiotics shown to boost immunity in children.

 Lactobacillus acidophilus

• Lactobacilli are helpful flora in the gastrointestinal tract that promote inhibition of other organisms via competition for nutrients. They also adjust pH levels to be less favorable to harmful organisms and aid in the production of antimicrobial factors.¹
• Lactobacillus acidophilus is shown to support health and help favorably moderate incidence of fever, rhinorrhea, cough, use of antibiotic prescriptions, and the number of missed school days attributable to illness in young children when taken daily for 6 months.²
• In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, oral administration resulted in clinically significant favorable changes in nasal symptoms and nasal swelling in patients with perennial stuffy nose due to allergies.³

Bifidobacterium bifidum

• Bifidobacteria are the predominant intestinal flora of breast-fed infants. They help modulate the pH in the large intestine, making it less hospitable to pathogenic organisms.⁴
• This flora is shown to support gastrointestinal health, especially in combination with L. acidophilus, and promotes regularity and related abdominal comfort in children from 2 months to 16 years of age.⁵

Bifidobacterium longum

• Bifidobacterium longum helps colonize the intestinal tract of infants and secretes substances that inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, contributing to the “barrier effect” produced by other helpful microflora.⁶
• This probiotic also enhanced interleukin-10 production (which typically down regulates the inflammatory cascade), moderated the pro-inflammatory cytokine pattern and enhanced immune defenses of children with intestinal damage related to consumption of gluten.⁷
• It has also been shown to enhance regularity and abdominal comfort in pediatric patients aged 5-15 years with chronic functional constipation.⁸

L rhamnosus

• L rhamnosus exerts dose-dependent immune function enhancement by promoting the defense abilities of white blood cells.⁹
• Daily supplementation of L rhamnosus substantially enhanced quality of life, and moderated skin symptoms and day-night irritation scores with no adverse reactions in pediatric patients with atopic eczema.¹⁰
• A meta-analysis showed L. rhamnosus boosts treatment success in children with abdominal pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorders, especially those with IBS.¹¹

L salivarius

• L salivarius is shown to be beneficial in moderating allergic reactions.¹²
• Daily supplementation over time has shown to help safely colonize the intestinal tracts of children as young as 6 months and to enhance immunological activity in the oral mucosa of children.^13,14

L plantarum

• L plantarum showed ability to survive stomach acid and establish itself in the gastrointestinal tract, adhere to intestinal cells, inhibit a range of intestinal pathogens and induce production of anti-inflammatory cytokines.¹⁵
• This probiotic also inhibited all 6 strains of gas-forming coliform bacteria isolated from colicky infants.¹⁶

All 6 of these beneficial probiotics are available in Dr. Wilson’s Super Immune Space Sprinkles®. Dr. Wilson’s Super Immune Space Sprinkles is formulated to strongly support and enhance both specific and general aspects of immune function necessary for maintaining health, and to help promote reliable, vigorous immune defense, especially in the front lines in the lungs, bronchi, throat, nose and intestines.* The effects of this very unique immune fortifier deepen over time, helping to provide long term support for healthy immune function.*

 References:

1. Murray MT, Pizzorno JE. (1999). Probiotics. In Pizzorno, JE and Murray MT (Eds). Textbook of Natural Medicine (894) London:Churchill Livingstone.
2. Leyer GJ, Li S, Mubasher ME, Reifer C, Ouwehand AC. Probiotic effects on cold and influenza-like symptom incidence and duration in children. Pediatrics. 2009 Aug;124(2):e172-9. Epub 2009 Jul 27.
3. Ishida Y, Nakamura F, Kanzato H,Sawada D, Hirata H, Nishimura A, Kajimoto O, Fujimoto O, Fujiwara S. Clinical effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus strain L-92 on perennial allergic rhinitis: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Dairy Sci. 2005 Feb;88(2):527-33.
4. Liévin V, Peiffer I, Hudault S, Rochat F, Brassart D, Neeser JR, Servin AL. Bifidobacterium strains from resident infant human gastrointestinal microflora exert antimicrobial activity. Gut. 2000 Nov; 47(5):646-52.
5. Rerksuppaphol S, Rerksuppaphol L. Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum stored at ambient temperature are effective in the treatment of acute diarrhea. Ann Trop Paediatr. 2010;30(4):299-304.
6. Liévin V, Peiffer I, Hudault S, Rochat F, Brassart D, Neeser JR, Servin AL. Bifidobacterium strains from resident infant human gastrointestinal microflora exert antimicrobial activity. Gut. 2000 Nov; 47(5):646-52.
7. Medina m, DePalma G, Ribes-Koninckx C, Calabuig M, Sanz Y. Bifidobacterium strains suppress in vitro the pro-inflammatory milieu triggered by the large intestinal microbiota of coeliac patients. J Inflamm (Lond). 2008 Nov 3;5:19
8. Guerra PV, Lima LN, Souza TC, Mazochi V, Penna FJ, Silva AM, Nicoli JR, Guimaraes EV. Pediatric functional constipation treatment with Bifidobacterium-containing yogurt: a crossover, doubleblind, controlled trial. World J Gastroenterol. 2011 Sept 14;17(34):3916-21.
9. Gill HS, Rutherfourd KJ. Viability and dose-response studies on the effects of the immunoenhancing lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus rhamnosus in mice. Br J Nutr. 2001 Aug; 86(2):285-9.
10. Hoang BX, Shaw G, Pham P, Levine SA. Lactobacillus rhamnosus cell lysate in the management of resistant childhood atopic eczema. Inflamm Allergy Drug Targets. 2010 Jul 1;9(3):192-6.
11. Horvath A, Dziechciarz P, Szajewska H. Meta-analysis: Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG for abdominal pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorders in childhood. Alimen Pharmacol Ther 2011 Jun:33(12):1302-10. Epub 2011 Apr 20.
12. Ou CC, Lin SL, Tsai JJ, Lin MY. Heat-killed lactic acid bacteria enhance immunomodulatory potential by skewing the immune response toward Th1 polarization. J Food Sci. 2011 Jun; 76(5): M260-M267. Doi:10. 1111/j. 1750-3841.2011.02161.x. Epub 2011 May 9.
13. Dierksen KP, Moore CJ, Inglis M, Wescombe PA, Tagg JR. The effect of ingestion of milk supplemented with salivaricin A-producing Streptococcus salivarius on the bacteriocin-like inhibitory activity of streptococcal populations on the tongue. FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2007 Mar;59(3):584-91. Epub 2006 Oct 27.
14. Maldonado J, Lara-Villoslada F, Sierra S, Sempere L, Gómez M, Rodriguez JM, Boza J, Xaus J, Olivares M. Safety and tolerance of the human milk probiotic strain Lactobacillus salivarius CECT5713 in 6-month old children. Nutrition. 2010 Nov-Dec;26(11-12):1082-7. Epub 2009 Dec 16.
15. Bosch M, Rodriguez M, Garcia F, Fernandez E, Fuentes MC, Cune J. Probiotic Properties of Lactobacillus plantarum CECT7315 and CECT7316 isolated from faeces of healthy children. Lett Appl Microbiol 2012 Jan 13 doi 10. 1111/j. 1472-765X.2012.03199.x.
16. Savino F, Cordisco L, Tarasco V, Locatelli E, DiGioia D, Oggero R, Matteuzzi D. Antagonistic effect of Lactobacillus strains against gas-producing coliforms isolated from colicky infants. BMC Microbiol. 2011 June 30;11:157.
17. Bakker, E Are Stressed Kids Sick Kids? Immunity and Emotional Health https://adrenalfatigue.org/stressed-kids-sick-kids-immunity-emotional-health/
18. https://drwilsons.com/product/super-immune-space-sprinkles/